Born in Osaka Prefecture, Tomoyuki Tanaka was head man at Toho Studios and one of its most prolific producers. Throughout his career he would produce the films of notable filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa, Senkichi Taniguchi, Kon Ichikawa, and Mikio Naruse. However, he is probably best remembered as the creator of Godzilla. After graduating from the Economic Department at Kansai University, Tanaka joined Toho in 1940. In 1954 Tanaka would spearhead the original Godzilla film with director Ishiro Honda. After Godzilla's monumental success, Tanaka was instructed to "make another one". Tanaka would produce every Toho monster film up until Godzilla vs Destoroyah. Tanaka was also a heavy supporter of Toshiro Mifune, producing his films with Kurosawa as well as Mifune's own production company and sole directorial effort in Legacy of the 500,000. Tanaka would champion Godzilla's return in 1984 and be heavily involved in the series until his death in 1997. In his near 60 year career Tanaka would go on to produce over 200 films.
Known For
Godzilla
(1954)
Producer
King Kong vs. Godzilla
(1963)
Producer
Godzilla Raids Again
(1955)
Producer
King Kong vs. Godzilla
(1962)
Producer
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
(1995)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Biollante
(1989)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
(1991)
Producer
Godzilla 1985
(1985)
Executive Producer
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
(1956)
Producer
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
(1964)
Executive Producer
Rodan
(1956)
Producer
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
(1993)
Executive Producer
High and Low
(1963)
Producer
Kagemusha
(1980)
Executive Producer
Godzilla
(1977)
Producer
Destroy All Monsters
(1968)
Producer
Full Filmography
Production
Three Women of the North
(1945)
Executive Producer
Duel at Yagyu Valley
(1945)
Producer
Those Who Make Tomorrow
(1946)
Executive Producer
Eleven High School Girls
(1946)
Producer
Yoki na onna
(1946)
Producer
As Long as I Live
(1946)
Producer
Chikagai nijuyojikan
(1947)
Producer
Four Love Stories
(1947)
Producer
Snow Trail
(1947)
Producer
Kirare no Senta
(1949)
Producer
Jakoman and Tetsu
(1949)
Producer
Lady From Hell
(1949)
Producer
Devil's Gold
(1950)
Producer
Heat and Mud
(1950)
Producer
Escape at Dawn
(1950)
Producer
The Angry Street
(1950)
Executive Producer and Producer
White Beast
(1950)
Producer
Swords and Brocade
(1951)
Producer
Beyond Love and Hate
(1951)
Producer
The White Orchid
(1951)
Producer
Who Will Judge Me?
(1951)
Producer
Sekidô matsuri
(1951)
Producer
The Man Who Came to Port
(1952)
Producer
Swift Current
(1952)
Producer
Foghorn
(1952)
Producer
Adolescence
(1952)
Producer
Sword for Hire
(1952)
Producer
Shanghai Rose
(1952)
Producer
Yasugorō shusse
(1953)
Producer
Adolescence Part II
(1953)
Producer
Youth of Heiji Senigata
(1953)
Producer
The Last Embrace
(1953)
Producer
Their Father's Wife
(1953)
Producer
Red-Light Bases
(1953)
Producer
My Wonderful Yellow Car
(1953)
Producer
Itsuko to sono haha
(1954)
Producer
君死に給うことなかれ
(1954)
Producer
Farewell Rabaul
(1954)
Producer
The Surf
(1954)
Producer
Godzilla
(1954)
Producer
Half Human
(1955)
Producer
Mother and Son
(1955)
Executive Producer
Lovetide
(1955)
Executive Producer
Love Never Fails
(1955)
Producer
No Response from Car 33
(1955)
Producer
To Love and Forgive
(1955)
Producer
Ticket to Hell
(1955)
Producer
Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree
(1955)
Producer
Godzilla Raids Again
(1955)
Producer
Rodan
(1956)
Producer
Rainy Night Duel
(1956)
Producer
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
(1956)
Producer
The Maiden Courtesan
(1956)
Executive Producer
The Legend of the White Serpent
(1956)
Executive Producer
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 1)
(1956)
Producer
Scoundrel
(1956)
Producer
The Mysterians
(1957)
Producer
Untamed Woman
(1957)
Producer
Yagyu Secret Scrolls
(1957)
Producer
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
(1957)
Producer
The Lower Depths
(1957)
Producer
Rodan! The Flying Monster!
(1957)
Associate Producer
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 2)
(1957)
Producer
A Man in the Storm
(1957)
Producer
The Spell of the Hidden Gold
(1958)
Producer
The Rickshaw Man
(1958)
Producer
Little Peach
(1958)
Producer
The H-Man
(1958)
Producer
Varan
(1958)
Producer
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
(1958)
Producer
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
(1959)
Producer
The Adventures of Sun Wu Kung
(1959)
Executive Producer
Desperado Outpost
(1959)
Executive Producer
The Big Boss
(1959)
Executive Producer
Samurai Saga
(1959)
Producer
The Three Treasures
(1959)
Producer
Battle in Outer Space
(1959)
Producer
A Whistle in My Heart
(1959)
Executive Producer
The Last Gunfight
(1960)
Executive Producer
Westward Desperado
(1960)
Executive Producer
The Secret of the Telegian
(1960)
Producer
The Human Vapor
(1960)
Executive Producer
Man Against Man
(1960)
Executive Producer
The Bad Sleep Well
(1960)
Producer
Blueprint of Murder
(1961)
Executive Producer
Big Shots Die at Dawn
(1961)
Executive Producer
The Merciless Trap
(1961)
Producer
The Last War
(1961)
Producer
Mothra
(1961)
Producer
Yojimbo
(1961)
Executive Producer
Blood on the Sea
(1961)
Executive Producer
A Man in Red
(1961)
Executive Producer
Wakarete ikiru toki mo
(1961)
Producer
The Witness Killed
(1961)
Executive Producer
Varan the Unbelievable
(1962)
Producer
Gorath
(1962)
Producer
King Kong vs. Godzilla
(1962)
Producer
The Weed of Crime
(1962)
Executive Producer
Hoero Datsugoku-shu
(1962)
Producer
Operation Enemy Fort
(1962)
Executive Producer
47 Ronin
(1962)
Producer
Sanjuro
(1962)
Producer
Operation Sewer Rats
(1962)
Producer
The Sun is Calling You
(1963)
Producer
King Kong vs. Godzilla
(1963)
Producer
Operation Mad Dog
(1963)
Producer
Legacy of the 500,000
(1963)
Producer
Young Swordsman
(1963)
Executive Producer
Warring Clans
(1963)
Producer
Interpol Code 8
(1963)
Executive Producer
Matango
(1963)
Producer
Outpost of Hell
(1963)
Producer
Attack Squadron
(1963)
Producer
High and Low
(1963)
Producer
Atragon
(1963)
Producer
Blood and Diamonds
(1964)
Executive Producer
Mothra vs. Godzilla
(1964)
Executive Producer
Whirlwind
(1964)
Producer
Jakoman and Tetsu
(1964)
Producer
Oh, Bomb!
(1964)
Producer
A Keg of Powder
(1964)
Producer
Tiger Flight
(1964)
Producer
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
(1964)
Executive Producer
Dogora
(1964)
Producer
Ant Hell War
(1964)
Producer
Fort Graveyard
(1965)
Producer
Key of Keys
(1965)
Executive Producer
Samurai Assassin
(1965)
Producer
The Retreat from Kiska
(1965)
Producer
Sanshiro Sugata
(1965)
Producer
風来忍法帖
(1965)
Executive Producer
Ironfinger
(1965)
Executive Producer
Frankenstein Conquers the World
(1965)
Executive Producer
Invasion of Astro-Monster
(1965)
Executive Producer
Red Beard
(1965)
Producer
The Mad Atlantic
(1966)
Producer
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
(1966)
Executive Producer
Adventure in Kigan Castle
(1966)
Executive Producer
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
(1966)
Producer
The War of the Gargantuas
(1966)
Producer
Zero Fighter
(1966)
Producer
The Killing Bottle
(1967)
Executive Producer
Japan's Longest Day
(1967)
Producer
Son of Godzilla
(1967)
Producer
King Kong Escapes
(1967)
Producer
The Age of Assassins
(1967)
Executive Producer
Samurai Rebellion
(1967)
Producer
Admiral Yamamoto
(1968)
Producer
風来忍法帖 八方破れ
(1968)
Executive Producer
Golden Eyes
(1968)
Executive Producer
Kill!
(1968)
Producer
Judge and Jeopardy
(1968)
Producer
Destroy All Monsters
(1968)
Producer
Samurai Banners
(1969)
Producer
Portrait of Hell
(1969)
Producer
Battle of the Japan Sea
(1969)
Production Director and Producer
All Monsters Attack
(1969)
Producer and Executive Producer
Latitude Zero
(1969)
Executive Producer
Space Amoeba
(1970)
Executive Producer
The Vampire Doll
(1970)
Executive Producer
Terror in the Streets
(1970)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
(1971)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Gigan
(1972)
Producer
The Human Revolution
(1973)
Producer
Submersion of Japan
(1973)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Megalon
(1973)
Producer
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
(1974)
Producer
Prophecies of Nostradamus
(1974)
Executive Producer
ESPY
(1974)
Producer
Terror of Mechagodzilla
(1975)
Executive Producer
Conflagration
(1975)
Executive Producer
Human Revolution II
(1976)
Executive Producer
Zero Fighter
(1976)
Executive Producer
House
(1977)
Producer
High Seas Hijack
(1977)
Executive Producer
Mount Hakkoda
(1977)
Producer
Godzilla
(1977)
Producer
The War in Space
(1977)
Executive Producer
Magnitude 7.9
(1980)
Producer
Kagemusha
(1980)
Executive Producer
The Imperial Navy
(1981)
Executive Producer
The Longest Tunnel
(1982)
Producer
The Makioka Sisters
(1983)
Executive Producer
Zero
(1984)
Producer
Ohan
(1984)
Executive Producer
The Return of Godzilla
(1984)
Producer
Godzilla 1985
(1985)
Executive Producer
Actress
(1987)
Producer
Princess from the Moon
(1987)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Biollante
(1989)
Executive Producer
Gunhed
(1989)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
(1991)
Producer
Godzilla vs. Mothra
(1992)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
(1993)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
(1994)
Executive Producer
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
(1995)
Executive Producer
Acting
Submersion of Japan
(1973)
Government official (uncredited)
Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection
(1986)
Self
Writing
Godzilla
(1954)
Story
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
(1956)
Story
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
(1957)
Story
Mothra
(1961)
Lyricist
Attack Squadron
(1963)
Writer
Godzilla
(1977)
Story
The Return of Godzilla
(1984)
Story
Godzilla 1985
(1985)
Story
Godzilla vs. Mothra
(1992)
Story
Rebirth of Mothra
(1996)
Original Story
Crew